“Ye Is Winning,” Even After Copyright Trial Loss, His Lawyer Says

BusinessHollywood & Entertainment“Ye Is Winning,” Even After Copyright Trial Loss, His Lawyer SaysByBill Hochberg,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about the business and law of music.Follow AuthorMay 21, 2026, 01:36pm EDTMay 21, 2026, 01:39pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 23: Ye is seen, outside Kenzo, during Paris Fashion Week - Menswear F/W 2022-2023, on January 23, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)Getty ImagesLast week, a federal jury in Los Angeles delivered a verdict against Ye (formerly Kanye West) in the “Hurricane” copyright infringement case, to the tune of $438,558, but his lawyer says: “We view it as a win.” “Here’s why," attorney Eduardo Martorell told the author on his Shmoozic Biz podcast, “the financiers who acquired the right to sue Ye over this case paid the musicians one million dollars and then came at us seeking tens of millions. Well, they’ve spent more millions on lawyers … but they’re a far cry from that now, and we’re proud of that.”Big Money Claim Slips Away On Summary JudgmentTo understand this case, you need to first consider a summary judgment ruling on February 26th from U.S. District Judge Michelle Williams Court that knocked out the biggest claim of the case. Due to a flaw in the transfer of rights, the court found the plaintiff lacked standing to sue Ye for a much bigger payday than the jury handed down last week. It’s important to understand that the plaintiff is not comprised of the musicians who created the music at issue. Rather, the plaintiff is an entity called Artist Revenue Advocates, LLC (ARA), which Martorell said his research indicates may have been funded by a Texas-based private equity company. ARA subsequently bought rights from the musicians and then sought to make a killing in the case against Ye, in what a spo...